An electronic device includes a three-dimensional display device having a two-dimensionally arranged plurality of three-dimensional display elements each including a rod and an actuator which causes the rod to move vertically, a storage device which has a three-dimensional form of a desired switch stored therein, and a three-dimensional display control device which separately controls heights of the rods via the actuators of the plurality of three-dimensional display elements based on the three-dimensional form of the switch stored in the storage device and deforms an upper surface of the three-dimensional display device to match the three-dimensional form of the switch.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. An electronic device, comprising: a three-dimensional display device comprising a two-dimensionally arranged plurality of three-dimensional display elements each including a rod and an actuator which causes the rod to move vertically; a storage device which has a three-dimensional form of a desired switch stored therein; a three-dimensional display control device which separately controls heights of the rods via the actuators of the plurality of three-dimensional display elements based on the three-dimensional form of the switch stored in the storage device and deforms an upper surface of the three-dimensional display device to match the three-dimensional form of the switch; an image capture device which acquires an image of a subject; an extraction device which extracts a switch image that is included in the acquired image; and a form detection device which detects a three-dimensional form of a switch based on the switch image extracted by the extraction device, wherein the storage device stores the three-dimensional form of the switch detected by the form detection device as the three-dimensional form of the desired switch.
2. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the storage device includes: a first recording device having recorded therein a three-dimensional form of a switch for use in initial setting; and a second recording device having recorded therein the three-dimensional form of the switch detected by the form detection device, and wherein the three-dimensional display control device: when the three-dimensional form of the switch has been recorded in the second recording device, deforms the upper surface of the three-dimensional display device to match the three-dimensional form of the switch recorded in the second recording device; and when the three-dimensional form of the switch has not been recorded in the second recording device, deforms the upper surface of the three-dimensional display device to match the three-dimensional form of the switch stored in the first recording device.
3. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the form detection device detects the three-dimensional form of the switch based on the extracted switch image.
4. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the form detection device divides the extracted switch image to form a plurality of regions, measures a distance to the switch for each of the plurality regions, and detects the three-dimensional form of the switch based on the measured distances.
5. The electronic device according to claim 1 , further comprising: an operation setting device which sets an operation to be executed by the control device for the pressing force detected by the pressing force detection device, wherein the pressing force detection device detects a plurality of pressing forces of differing strengths to the three-dimensional display elements, and the operation setting device sets a different operation for each of the plurality of pressing forces of differing strengths.
6. The electronic device according to claim 2 , wherein the form detection device detects the three-dimensional form of the switch based on the extracted switch image.
7. The electronic device according to claim 2 , wherein the form detection device divides the extracted switch image to form a plurality of regions, measures a distance to the switch for each of the plurality regions, and detects the three-dimensional form of the switch based on the measured distances.
8. The electronic device according to claim 6 , further comprising: a flexible display device which is provided on the upper surface of the three-dimensional display device and deforms to match a form of the upper surface of the three-dimensional display device; a storage device having stored therein a switch image of a desired switch; and a display control device which causes the flexible display device to display the switch image stored in the storage device, wherein the display control device causes the flexible display device to display the switch image so as to overlay the three-dimensional form of the switch displayed on the three-dimensional display device.
9. The electronic device according to claim 7 , further comprising: a flexible display device which is provided on the upper surface of the three-dimensional display device and deforms to match a form of the upper surface of the three-dimensional display device; a storage device having stored therein a switch image of a desired switch; and a display control device which causes the flexible display device to display the switch image stored in the storage device, wherein the display control device causes the flexible display device to display the switch image so as to overlay the three-dimensional form of the switch displayed on the three-dimensional display device.
10. The electronic device according to claim 8 , further comprising: a pressing force detection device which detects pressing forces to the three-dimensional display device, the detection device detecting the pressing force to the three-dimensional display elements provided in a region at which the switch is displayed by the three-dimensional display control device; and a control device which, when a pressing force is detected by the pressing force detection device, executes a predetermined operation that has been set in advance for the switch.
11. The electronic device according to claim 9 , further comprising: a pressing force detection device which detects pressing forces to the three-dimensional display device, the detection device detecting the pressing force to the three-dimensional display elements provided in a region at which the switch is displayed by the three-dimensional display control device; and a control device which, when a pressing force is detected by the pressing force detection device, executes a predetermined operation that has been set in advance for the switch.
12. The electronic device according to claim 10 , further comprising: an operation setting device which sets an operation to be executed by the control device for the pressing force detected by the pressing force detection device, wherein the pressing force detection device detects a plurality of pressing forces of differing strengths to the three-dimensional display elements, and wherein the operation setting device sets a different operation for each of the plurality of pressing forces of differing strengths.
13. The electronic device according to claim 11 , further comprising: an operation setting device which sets an operation to be executed by the control device for the pressing force detected by the pressing force detection device, wherein the pressing force detection device detects a plurality of pressing forces of differing strengths to the three-dimensional display elements, and wherein the operation setting device sets a different operation for each of the plurality of pressing forces of differing strengths.
14. The electronic device according to claim 8 , further comprising: a touch panel of a substantially same form as the three-dimensional display device provided on the upper surface of the three-dimensional display device or the flexible display device; an input detection device which detects an input to the touch panel, the detection device detecting an input to a region overlaying a region at which the switch is displayed by the three-dimensional display control device; and a control device which, when an input is detected by the input detection device, executes a predetermined operation that has been set in advance for the switch.
15. The electronic device according to claim 9 , further comprising: a touch panel of a substantially same form as the three-dimensional display device provided on the upper surface of the three-dimensional display device or the flexible display device; an input detection device which detects an input to the touch panel, the detection device detecting an input to a region overlaying a region at which the switch is displayed by the three-dimensional display control device; and a control device which, when an input is detected by the input detection device, executes a predetermined operation that has been set in advance for the switch.
16. The electronic device according to claim 12 , wherein the storage device is built into a device body and stores information of at least one of a position, a size, and a display region of the switch displayed on the three-dimensional display device by the three-dimensional display control device.
17. The electronic device according to claim 13 , wherein the storage device is built into a device body and stores information of at least one of a position, a size, and a display region of the switch displayed on the three-dimensional display device by the three-dimensional display control device.
18. The electronic device according to claim 14 , wherein the storage device is built into a device body and stores information of at least one of a position, a size, and a display region of the switch displayed on the three-dimensional display device by the three-dimensional display control device.
19. The electronic device according to claim 15 , wherein the storage device is built into a device body and stores information of at least one of a position, a size, and a display region of the switch displayed on the three-dimensional display device by the three-dimensional display control device.
20. An electronic device, comprising: a three-dimensional display device comprising a two-dimensionally arranged plurality of three-dimensional display elements each including a rod and an actuator which causes the rod to move vertically; a storage device which has a three-dimensional form of a desired switch stored therein; a three-dimensional display control device which separately controls heights of the rods via the actuators of the plurality of three-dimensional display elements based on the three-dimensional form of the switch stored in the storage device and deforms an upper surface of the three-dimensional display device to match the three-dimensional form of the switch; a flexible display device which is provided on the upper surface of the three-dimensional display device and deforms to match a form of the upper surface of the three-dimensional display device; a storage device having stored therein a switch image of a desired switch; and a display control device which causes the flexible display device to display the switch image stored in the storage device, wherein the display control device causes the flexible display device to display the switch image so as to overlay the three-dimensional form of the switch displayed on the three-dimensional display device.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
September 17, 2010
March 26, 2013
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